Watch Out

Today Jara and I dusted. Dusting is Jara's favorite chore and mine too, it makes me nostalgic for my childhood Saturday's spent dusting my grandma's house. Although in those days I got paid.

Anyway,

After I gave my little domestic helper the can of lavender-scented Pledge she gave a wicked little cackle and then called out,

"Here I come Dust Bunnies!!!"

I think I laughed so hard I cried. Where does she come up with this stuff?

The bunnies are no match for her 4-year-old abilities to wield a can of spray polish. Half a bottle later, every dust bunny was peacefully eradicated.

My Valentine

Isn't he cute?

Jed and I have been celebrating V-day for 12 years now.

The best Valentine's Day was the day he asked me to marry him.

The worst (the only bad day) was the year o' the gas-station singing gorilla. I know, I'll never let it go. It's okay its lost now.

Here we are seven years later, still celebrating.

He always includes a card with his presents and never forgets the roses.

But most importantly, he is my best friend AND dear to me in so many big and small ways. Big being, hello, he is the father of my children. Small being, he shares his pillow and tolerates my need to compulsively scratch at my dry, desert, winter flesh.

He makes me happy, knows how to calm me when I am angry, listens to whatever crazy thing I ramble about and is thoughtful. One year for Valentine's day he sent me, from half-way around the world, giant zip-lock bags filled with hugs and kisses banners (the little white flag that sticks out of the chocolate.) I still have them.

He knows me well. Well enough that he doesn't try to control my rages at the insurance lady anymore, it ends badly for everyone. Well enough that he makes the children disappear when he sees that "look in my eye." Well enough that he picks out clothes and shoes for me and they fit better and look nicer than anything I would ever pick out on my own.

I know you love your valentine too and I promise my mushy quota for the year is now filled. Isn't it nice to be loved?

We're Freezing Around Here

Saturday the kids and I were basking in 70 degrees of soul-warming sunshine. The cats were banished to the great outdoors during the night and Jack wore only underwear around the house.
Yesterday a monstrous wind began to blow "from the nort" (-jara) and combined with my failure to put the sprinklers back into hibernation, we have the great Wheeler ice age. I haven't seen icicles like this since the great...actually I don't think I have ever seen icicles in Logandale like this, well except in my mom's faulty freezer.

Guess we will be playing inside today. I think Jack's 4-wheeler is frozen in place.